Fade to Black
by Ms. Noemi
Summary: The Mark of Cain has changed Dean forever. Unable to deal with the guilt, Sam reactivates the Trials to save his brother. Warnings: Spoiler alert for end of Season 9 and major character death.
1. Trial and Error

_First story ever, please let me know what you think! If you get Deja Vu reading this, yes I deleted the original version of this and reposted it. I basically crammed two fics into one story. This story focuses on Sam doing the trials to cure Dean. If you are looking for the stories about SPN characters' adventures in Heaven, it will be posted separately as _When the light goes out_. Thanks for reading!_

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_**The Bunker, Present Day**_

"Dude, there's no freaking pie down here" Dean complains as his eyes scan the basement.

Suddenly, Sam lunges at the demon and shoves him into the dungeon. Dean charges at his brother, but slams into the invisible wall of the Devil's trap on the floor.

"Hey!" he screams, "What's the big idea?"

With an assured smirk, Sam tauntingly waves a syringe at Dean. But covered in peeling paint, a bent needle, and masking tape sealing the cracks, it hardly looks functional.

Dean laughs maniacally. "So this is your big plan? Try to cure me?"

Sam's smile wavers just for a moment. It's exactly his plan. In a way, he almost can't wait for the Trials to reactivate.

"Come on Sammy, you're gonna die. And this," Dean's eyes flicker black, "this is what I've become. Why try to change it?"

"Because," Sam explains, "you're still my big brother. And you know me Dean, I'll always die for you."

Dean backs into the center of the room. Even trapped, he looks apathetic to his surroundings.

The demon sneers, "Hey, at least I tried to ignore the fact that you're not even human. I mean, it certainly wasn't easy."

Sam opens his mouth to respond, but nothing comes out.

Dean continues, "I've accepted the fact that you're a freak. You should do the same for me."

A look of betrayal flashes across Sam's face, but disappears just as quickly. He saunters out of the room without another word.


	2. Mess in the Cupboard

_**The Bunker Cupboard, Present Day**_

Sam needs purified blood, which means one thing: Reconciliation. In his opinion, this is the absolute worst part of the trials. Sitting around remembering his mistakes keeps him from actually trying to fix them.

Sam consecrated the dungeon last night, eliminating the need for a church. But now he has a problem; there's no confessional. He wanders upstairs, around his room, and finally to the kitchen. The only place that he can find is the cupboard.

When Sam walks in, the smell of Dean's "food" assaults his nose. Moving a can of string beans older than himself to the side, he kneels. His total of one and a fake confessions haven't really prepared him on what to say, so Sam just jumps into confessing.

"Is anyone listening?" pause, "God, I hope not." Silence. Exactly what he wants to hear. Most people already know about his royal screw-ups, but he likes to pretend that they don't.

Sam confesses everything, starting with being his brother's burden, someone Dean had to raise at the cost of his own childhood. He moves on to his less-than-human status. His mom, Jess, and all the people that were killed for Azazel to get to him. Sam admits to not knowing exactly how many. Every case, every person that he couldn't save is listed. If only he had been faster, smarter, more dedicated to his job.

But Sam's just getting started. He asks to be forgiven abandoning his family to go to college, all the people he should have saved. He moves on to his worst moments: betraying Dean, the demon blood, Lilith. Everyone who died in the apocalypse and the events after, who would still Fbe alive were it not for him. Sam names the people he had killed and hurt while he was soulless, especially Bobby. He regrets leaving Dean to fend for himself in Purgatory.

Sam promises that even though he failed the first trials, he will not do so again. He apologizes for being too selfish to follow through the last time. After everything… he had no right to do so. He begs to be forgiven for Kevin, and the ways that he neglected the boy while he was alive. Finally, Sam cries his biggest regret; that he spent his last few weeks telling his brother that his life meant nothing.

He takes a deep breath, "No one in their right mind would forgive me for all this crap. Hell, I certainly don't. But I'm not asking for forgiveness. I'm asking for purified blood and a chance to fix a fraction of the mistakes I've made."

Sam was fixed of his religious beliefs a long time ago, and saying Amen just feels wrong.

"Um… the end."

He steps out of the cupboard. Years of lying hide the guilt he carries. If you didn't know Sam, it would seem that he'd simply left to grab the can of beans now in his hand.

A piecing pain shoots through Sam's arm. His insides light on fire. Dropping to his knees, the hunter screams out, but no one responds to his plea. His veins pulse red as the trials reactivate. His father's words from the first time he was shot echo in Sam's ears, "You have a duty, boy, and no right to let a little pain get in the way of that." Slowly, he stands.

Sam's wet coughs echo through the bunker, but he smiles. This is the best that he has felt in weeks. With a shaky hand, he wipes his blood off the floor and heads towards the dungeon.


	3. Call the Cops

_**The Bunker, Present Day**_

Sam marks the second tally on his arm. He doesn't want to forget how many doses he's administered and his head is feeling foggy. He looks around the main room. It feels strangely empty without anyone else to fill it.

All of a sudden his phone rings. Sam jumps. He searches the cluttered table for the source of music. Sheriff Jody Mills' name flashes across the screen.

He answers, "Hello?"

The sheriff takes off, "Hey Sam. I've got a job for you two boys…"

He cuts her off, "Sheriff, I would love to but..." His lungs feel awful. "We're kind of in the middle…" He starts coughing and feels blood running down his chin. Instinctively, he wipes it off quickly on the sleeve of his jacket. Darkness encroaches the edges of his vision.

Even over the phone, Jody knows something is doesn't hesitate, "Sam, are you ok?"

He immediately tries to cover. "Sorry, just a cold. We ate at this one diner and…" Sam's voice cracks and another coughing fit sends him to his knees.

Not one to put up with Winchester self-sacrifice, she goes off. "Liar. Where's Dean? What have you boys gotten yourselves into this time? And Sam…"

"Yeah?" Wobbly, he uses the table to stand back up.

"The truth. Don't make me use my mom voice on you mister." Sam chuckles, but still has no idea what a "mom voice" is.

"Well, there was this, uh, Mark of Cain… and, long story short." He scratches the back of his head. There's no way to downplay the issue. "Dean's kind of a demon."

Jody slams on the brakes. Looking around quickly, she makes sure the street is empty. Rubbing her forehead, she sighs. None of this would be happening if Bobby were still around.

"Alright, I'm on my way. Where are you?"

Warning bells go off in Sam's head. "No Sheriff, it's alright. We have a cure. And besides, it could get pretty dangerous around here." Sam desperately hopes she will listen. The last thing he needs is someone else's blood on his hands.

"That's my problem. Anyway, it sounds like you're in pretty bad shape right now. Seems like you could really use my help."

"I could," Sam wishes he could lie right now, but doesn't have the time or the energy. "But my point stands. I can't control Dean. He's a demon, so he has no reason to let you live if he gets his hands on you. Besides, I can barely handle him without having to worry about someone else to protect."

"So, you think I need protecting?"

Sam realizes his mistake too late. "No, it's just… He has the Mark. I have no idea how powerful Dean is right now. He's not going to go easy just because we're brothers. Dean knows my moves, how I think, my weaknesses…"

"Look, it seems like you're in over your head. If you want me to stay out of it that's fine. But the least I can do is keep you company until this is all over. I know lots of people around you die Sam. I learned that from Bobby, so whatever happens is on me. Ok?"

Sam hesitates. It would be really nice to have someone around just to make sure he stays conscious. But Kevin's screams echo is his ears. No, never again will someone die because of him.

"Sorry Sheriff, I can't do that."

"But wait! Sam…"

"Thanks." The Hunter hangs up, hoping that he didn't just make a huge mistake.


	4. Forget the Bride, Here Comes the Father

_**Victory Life Church, Ten Years Later**_

Krissy Chambers slides a slim blade into her garter. It's been years since the last case, but she's not taking any chances on her wedding day. She picks up a card labeled with her soon-to-be name, Krissy Braeden, and giggles. Normally she's not into the whole girly-girl thing, but, hell, today's an exception.

A few minutes later, everyone is lined up. It's time to walk down the aisle. As the doors open, Ben turns around. He'd meant to just take a peek, but now he's staring wide eyed and open mouthed at his fiancé. Krissy smothers a laugh behind her bouquet.

When she reaches the front, Ben tries to go for a fist bump.

"You dork," she chastises, but complies anyway, because he's her dork. Her fiancé's stupid grin makes it worth it. She can't help but think of another geek just like him, but that man's a Hunter and a loser so the resemblance is probably unrelated.

Their audience is small, around twenty people. Her stepmom Lisa sits in the front row. Ben insisted that his father would be coming to the ceremony, and Krissy really wants to meet him, but the next seat over remains empty. It's a mystery to her who the man is, why he disappeared, and how he and Ben got back in touch. Her fiancé has been acting strangely ever since. She knows he's keeping secrets, but she is keeping many more of her own. All the same, Krissy wishes Ben would just tell Lisa about the mysterious phone call already.

The couple shifts their focus as the ceremony begins. The priest drones on far too slowly for anyone's liking. Ben just wants to be married already. He was never one for formality, and the wait is unbearable. Krissy can't help but smile when he says, "till death do us part." If only he knew…

As the couple begins their vows, everyone in the room breaks into tears. Ben promises to never leave her. She knows the missing father figure probably has a part to play in that. But he goes on to describe the first time they met, when she saved him from being mugged outside a bar. He praises her confidence along with her beauty. Krissy promises to protect her future husband. She promises to laugh at his jokes, even the bad ones. They both swear to tell the truth, which feels strange with all the secrets floating around.

Finally, they get to kiss. Ben sweeps her into a dip. He looks into her eyes as he leans in. As their lips touch, a man to the left yells, "That's my boy!" and stands up to clap. Someone must have shushed him, because when they part, everyone is seated.

Krissy looks around for the unfamiliar voice. Soon, she realizes that Lisa is no longer alone and is... kissing? the man next to her. The plaid shirt and hair look familiar… but Krissy can't quite put her finger on it.

At the reception, Ben takes her to meet his father. The bride hikes up her skirt, and they tear across the dance floor excitedly holding hands. As they approach, they can see Lisa talking excitedly to the new stranger.

As he turns around, Krissy drops her bouquet and shouts, "Dean!"

Dean Winchester looks unsurprised, but he must have recognized her at the ceremony. Ben looks more shocked than anyone.

"You two know each other!?"

Dean laughs, "Imagine my surprise when I find out my boy was marrying another Hunter."

Ben huffs, "Son of a bitch! I just got my memories of the supernatural back two days ago and now my wife is a Hunter too?"

Krissy shrugs and kisses him on the cheek to calm him down. It works wonderfully.

Dean takes Krissy's hands, "You've always been like a daughter to me, and normally, I would say that there is not a single boy out there who is good enough for you. But if you had to choose, well, you did good kid."

Krissy and Ben simultaneously roll their eyes. "Yeah? Well, you didn't do so bad yourself, old man."

Dean tilts his head. "What do you mean?"

Everyone turns toward Lisa, who blushes. Apparently she was handling her new memories very well, having remembered Dean once they kissed. The couple was in store for many 'true loves kiss' jokes in the future.

The father smiles, "Speaking of, I have a question for you."

Dean gets down one knee and the entire room goes silent. The band stops with an abrupt halt.

"I know I left and took your memories. And I'm sorry for that. But things have changed now. It's all over. The fear and the danger. For the first time in my life, I don't have to worry about you, or anyone else for that matter- not that it will stop me anyway. So I'm going to ask a question that I have been dreamed about every night since the last time I last saw you."

Then Dean untucks the necklace from his shirt. Lisa recognizes it immediately because Dean would feverously refuse to take it off when they were younger, no matter what they were doing. But when he came to live with her after the apocalypse, it was gone. She never thought to ask why. The same strange amulet is there, but a ring hangs next to it too.

Dean gets down on one knee and takes her hand. "I know it's a bit late for this, but... Lisa Braeden, despite everything, will you marry me?"

Lisa says yes, and the entire room breaks into applause. The band breaks into song, clearly entertained by the whole event. As they kiss, Krissy yells particularly loudly. Dean fist bumps Ben behind his back without looking away.

Hours later, the four of them are the last ones left. They sit around on the floor drinking champagne. Ben had insisted on having more than just cake at their wedding, so Dean has two slices of pie in front of him.

Dean smiles at Lisa, "Oh, and don't worry, I've been going to therapy, so I'm in a lot better shape this time."

Lisa lays her head on his shoulder, but a realization dawns on her. "If you just found out about this wedding recently, like Ben says, they how did you have time to buy a ring?"

Dean shifts uncomfortably. "I already had it. It's a… family thing. It's never been used before, and I couldn't think of a better person to wear it first."

Everyone knows that there is some story behind it. Some detail he's leaving out. But it's not the question they all want to ask. The newlyweds exchange looks. Whatever silent argument they have, Krissy wins. Ben reluctantly turns to his father.

Ben clears his throat. "So… Dad, what changed?"

Dean looks up, mouth full. "Hmm," he mumbles.

"What made you change your mind?"

Krissy gasps, "It has something to do with the demons doesn't it? Why they all disappeared…"

A look of pain flashes across Dean's face. It's exactly like the one's Ben saw constantly after Sam died. Now he knows one thing for sure.

Dean sighs, "A lots happened since the last time all of us met. It was rough and there were some sacrifices… but it's all over now."


	5. The Law at Your Heels

_**The Bunker, Present Day**_

As Sam draws the fourth tally mark, someone bangs on the door. Slowly, he makes his way over. Unable to think of any possible friendly visitors, he cocks his gun and holds it up to the door.

Sheriff Mills stands outside. The bunker looks rusty and unused. She has seen the boys live in some strange places, but this one looks the least inhabitable.

Sam hides the gun and opens the door. Jody looks smug, but her face falls instantly.

She is greeted by a deathly pale face with bloodshot eyes and dark circles underneath. Her friend's veins protrude from his face and arms. Sam looks exhausted, maybe even on the verge of death.

"Sam," shoving her way inside, "You look awful." Jody never was one for subtlety, and it helps her point.

"How did you find me? Almost no one knows about this place." Not exactly true. He shuts the heavy steel door behind her.

She turns around, admiring the book covered walls. "Some guy named Garth. I gotta admit, I didn't believes his description of this place until I saw it for myself. You guys chose well."

"Thanks, but you shouldn't be here." Sam looks at her worriedly, like she's the one sick.

"Maybe, but you still need my help."

"I'm fine, and look…" He hesitates to come up with an excuse.

Jody cuts him off and fumbles through her purse. "Yeah I get it, you're _fine_." She pulls out a tissue, which Sam hesitantly accepts. As she turns away, Jody casually remarks, "There's blood on your mouth."

Sam wipes it off hurriedly, a force of habit from all the times he kept this a secret from Dean. Another dizzy spell sends him grasping the nearby table for support. After it passes, Jody sits down in a chair so that Sam will be inclined to do the same. It works.

"Look Sam, don't worry about me. And you clearly need my help. Where are you keeping Dean?"

"In the dungeon downstairs, why?"

"You have a dungeon?"

He pauses, "… yes?"

"Why?"

Sam shrugs. Apparently to him it wasn't strange enough to investigate or explain.

The Sheriff rolls her eyes. "Of course you do. So tell me what your plan is first, and then you are going to explain what all this is," gesturing to his face.

In detail, Sam explains the process involved in curing a demon. Just once, he makes the mistake of mentioning the word "Trials," but it catches Jody's attention.

"Ok, so human blood is the cure, got it. But what are the 'Trials' and you still haven't explained why you're so sick."

But before she can finish her sentence, another migraine overtakes Sam. His head feels like it's on fire, but that would probably be less painful. He grabs the sides of his head and leans against the table. Sheriff Mills can see him biting his lip to prevent from screaming. She rushes over to help but the Hunter shoves her away.

"I'm fine," he lies. Sam tries to straighten up, but another wave sends him to his knees. This time, his lips betray him and his cry echoes through the bunker. One hand on the ground supports him, but the one on his head is shaking violently.

Jody drops down next to him. Unsure how to help, she puts one arm around him protectively. Sam looks over at her. Giving his best effort to return the favor, he manages a brief smile before the pain returns, more intense than before. Pulling away, he manages to get out the words, "I'm fine. It's ok." He repeats the lie until the pain passes.

After it's all over, Jody helps Sam stand back up. He plops into the nearest chair, looking mortified.

"Sheriff, I'm so sorry you had to…"

She cuts him off, "Sam, you don't have to apologize. I may not be a Hunter, but this… this is what I'm here for."

The corner of his mouth curls into a smile. The exhaustion has taken away what little fight he had left. Looks like Jody is going to get her wish after all. Sam relents, "You asked two questions earlier: the trials and… this. But really, they're the same thing."

Using the chair to stand up, Sam walks over to the bookshelf and grabs a spiral. The cover reads, "The Trials: A Firsthand Account."

Jody reads it carefully. "Did you write this?" she wonders aloud.

He nods.

"I don't even know what most of these words are. The details, how you explain it…"

"Well, I guess Stanford paid off then."

Continuing to read, the visitor wonders, "So you went through this before. Where does it say how it ended...?"

Sam snatches the journal away. "That part's all just speculation. You don't need to read any more of it." The Sheriff's eyes widen in surprise, but she says nothing.

The clock above the door begins to chime. It's time for the next dose.


	6. Spill the Beans, Not Blood

_**The Bunker, Present Day**_

Six doses in, and Dean's eyes finally return to normal. Sam sits down. Breathing heavy and exhausted, his bloodshot eyes begin to droop. A dwindling combination of adrenaline and determination keeps him conscious. After he catches his breath, he walks over to the ladder.

The Hunter stares up through the hatch, clearly dreading the task ahead. Sam makes it up four rungs before his legs give out. Sheriff Mills can hear the clatter all the way upstairs.

When she goes to investigate, Jody finds Sam sitting against the wall of the hallway. She makes no comment about his fall down the ladder.

Carrying his journal of information on the trials, the sheriff sits down across from Sam. He's too exhausted to even put up a fight and send her back upstairs. After each dose, the Hunter looks worse, and seems to be slowly slipping away. Normally, Jody would force him to go to the hospital right away, but she needs the full story first. She begins a conversation to keep Sam awake.

"So, you went to Stanford?"

Sam finches, clearly unaware that she had come downstairs. Quickly regaining his composure, he smiles, "Yeah, full ride. It was fantastic."

Jody's surprise makes him laugh. Curious, she asks, "What is your degree in?"

"Well, I left a few months before I graduated, but I was Pre-Law."

The idea surprises Jody, but after a moment she realizes how well it fits. "Oh really? What kind of law are you interested in?"

"Criminal law for sure, I couldn't handle spending all day arguing about copyright laws and money. Back then I wanted to be prosecution, getting rid of the bad guys would kinda be just like hunting. But now… I would choose to be defense."

"Really, why the change of heart?"

Sam hesitates, "Everyone makes mistakes. It's very easy to go down a dark path when you feel like no one will stand by you."

Jody can tell that Sam is very passionate about this idea. She can't understand why after all this time he still chooses to live mostly alone and entirely unemployed.

"Why did you leave, if you love law so much?"

Sam avoids the question, "What about you, Sheriff? How have you been doing lately?"

"Well, I've been really busy at work. But things have been good… really good."

Only then does Sam notice what the Sheriff is holding, the journal containing information about how these trial will end. It doesn't take him long to figure out whether or not she read it.

"Sam, I read the end of your entry. You know I can't just sit here and let you kill yourself."

The Hunter looks down. "Yes you can, and you will."

"And what makes you think that?" No response. "I can't think of a possible reason that would convince me to let you go through with this."

For the first time since the Sheriff arrived, Sam looks her in the eyes. "Because it's what I want. I have to even the score, make up for everything…"

"Sam, you save lives for a living. I think your debt to society has been paid."

Sam rolls his eyes. Clearly, there is some secret he's not too keen to spill.

Jody refuses to believe that the boy in front of her could intentionally hurt someone. "So you have to die? Like you're actually responsible for the deaths of other people. Sam, you couldn't name three…"

From the look Sam gives her, the Sheriff realizes her mistake.

The need to convince his friend to leave finally outweighs Sam's dread of the truth. He begins to list, "Dean could've had a normal life, or at least a half decent childhood. My mom, my dad, and... Kevin." His voice breaks, "I killed him with my own two hands."

They sit in silence, but not for long. Jody pulls out her phone to contact the hospital. "Sorry Sam, I know you. This isn't your fault. There's not enough to convince me…"

"Your husband and son," he cuts her off, desperate to end the call.

The Sheriff freezes mid-dial. "Sam, I know that you were the one who shot them, but they had already turned into zombies. There was nothing you could do to save them."

Sam shakes his head, "There's much more to it than that. I started the apocalypse, released Lucifer from Hell. They, and the other hundreds, if not thousands, of people, would still be alive were it not for me."

He expects her to be angry, no, wants her to be angry. But he only gets pity, which is worse. Losing the trust of his only friend hurts, but not as much as failing the trials will. Sam will say anything to convince her.

When Jody doesn't respond, he continues, resentment in is voice. "I'm not even human. I have demon blood, in case you're wondering why I did it. It's also why Lucifer chose me as his vessel. That's why the trials are so rough. You have to be clean, pure…" Sam hates to say it, "…and I'm not. But if you let me go through with this, then I will be."

The two sit in silence for a while. Finally, Sam looks at Jody, preparing himself for the look. The look that everyone, including Dean, gives him once they realize he's a freak. It's the ultimate reminder of his lack of humanity. But Jody just returns the glance, no hatred or condemnation in her eyes.

They both know how badly Sam needs this. Neither one speaks until it's time for the next dose.


	7. Fade to Black

**_The Bunker, Present Day_**

For the final dose, Sam lets Jody come into the dungeon with him. Dean, chained to the wall, sits sluggishly on the floor.

As Sam slices his palm, Jody puts her hand on his shoulder. Kneeling in front of Dean, the Hunter begins the incantation. His hand covers Dean's mouth for a brief moment. In a flash of light, both brothers are tossed across the room. They look like rag dolls, but the noise they make on impact makes it clear that this is no children's game.

Jody rushes to Sam. Sitting up, he makes a futile attempt to push her away. With a hoarse voice, he croaks, "Go check on Dean." As the Sheriff turns around, he loses the energy to stay vertical.

A few seconds later Dean's eyes open. Besides a small cut on the left of his forehead, he looks absolutely fine. Jody helps the ex-demon stand, but as soon as he sees Sam all of his exhaustion is forgotten.

Dean rushes to his brother and holds him in his arms. His skin is cold and clammy, the heartbeat all to faint. Through uneven breaths, Sam manages to smile. Dean's "steel box of emotions" crumbles, but he holds it together for Sammy. He grabs his little brother tighter to stop the shaking.

Every fiber in Dean's body wants to find a way to save his little brother. If not that, at least die with him. Sam used to always see the light at the end of the tunnel. He made sure Dean did too. For some time now, and even more so after Kevin, Sam has made his lack of will to live all too clear. For once, his wish will come true.

Sam pulls a necklace out from underneath his shirt and drops it in Dean's palm. It holds two items, a wedding ring and a rusty metal amulet.

Sam coughs, his voice hoarse. "It kept me human, the two people I let down most, but I don't need it anymore," his smile brighter than the fireworks the brothers once used to burn down a field on the Fourth of July.

Suddenly it becomes clear, Sam is completely human.

Dean whispers in awe at the necklace, "Son of a bitch, you pulled it out of the trash." The amulet his little brother once gave him shines, clearly having been taken good care of.

The shaking gets worse. A tear of blood slips from Sam's eye. Dean wipes it away quickly, pretending not to see. "It's ok. It's all going to be ok." Not only for Sammy's benefit but for his own as well.

Jody sits down in front of them. She casts Dean a glance to ask if Sam will survive. Subtle enough to keep his brother from noticing, he quickly shakes his head.

Jody leans in, "Whose ring is that?" Her voice strangely calm and comforting despite knowing what's about to happen.

Dean doesn't even have to guess. "This was supposed to be for Jess, wasn't it? I knew you had been thinking about proposing. I never did ask how close you were."

Sam answers, "Why do you think I was so eager to get back by Monday?"

Another coughing fit. Clothes are covered in blood. They're just stalling for time now. Pretending everything will work out.

Only a few seconds left.

Dean talks to his little brother, begs him to stay awake.

Finally, Sam cries, "God, it's cold."

Dean should comfort him, tell Sammy whatever he wants to hear… say goodbye. But instead, what comes out is, "Bitch."

Sam's laugh is wet, "Jerk."

Everything fades to black.


	8. Fight Fire with Firemen

**_Outside the Bunker, Present Day_**

Dean hasn't said a words since it happened. For five hours, he builds the funeral pyre. The Sheriff asks to help, but a sharp glare turns her away.

As the clock strikes three, Sam's body is wrapped in cloth and placed on the pyre. Dean tosses the lighter and it lands right on top of his brother's crossed arms. He's had lots of practice. Dean says nothing.

Six hours later, the last flame burns out. Jody had cried some during the funeral. Dean's face is blank, almost as if the trials didn't work.

Inside the bunker, Dean looks for a drink. He had almost gotten over his drinking problem in the past few months, so the Bunker is alcohol free.

He turns to the Sheriff. "I'm going to go get a beer."

Jody steps in front of him, blocking the door. "Dean, I hate to bring this up, but shouldn't you let people know… about Sam?"

Dean nods absentmindedly. They sit down and scroll through Dean's contact list. Most of the people on it are dead or missing, except Garth, who doesn't answer his phone. He prays to Cas, but without his wings, it will take awhile for the angel to arrive.

The two sit in silence for another hour. In an attempt to cheer Dean up, Jody asks, "So, if Sam succeeded, does that mean that there are no more demons?"

"Yeah, he blasted those bitches downstairs," Dean takes a sip of the coffee she made him, "Which means that besides monsters, I'm out of business."

"Well," Jody suggests, "you could get a real job."

Dean almost spits out his coffee. "Sheriff, it's a nice thought, but I tried that before. Without Sammy all I have is saving people. Without it I might go insane."

Jody counters, "Well, there are other jobs that help 'save people.' Not that I'm biased or anything, but you could become a cop?"

It's clearly an idea that Dean's never considered before, but still, "No offence, but I've been arrested too many times to join the popo."

"Alright then, there's lots of other jobs. Doctor, firefighter…"

Dean cuts her off, "Yeah, I like that one."

"What, doctor? I mean it takes a lot of sch…"

"No," he waves the idea away, "Not that. I always wanted to be a firefighter when I was a kid. And between Mom and Jess…"

Jody smiles. "Doesn't require a degree, but it sure takes guts. I think you'll do great Dean."

The Hunter smiles. Despite everything, for the first time with no one else to worry about, his future looks bright.


End file.
